The reinforcement of paper by polymer impregnation (commonly referred to as latex saturation) is a long-established practice. The polymer employed typically is a synthetic material, most often a latex, and the paper may include cellulosic fibers or a mixture of cellulosic and noncellulosic fibers. Polymer reinforcement is employed to improve one or more of such properties as dimensional stability, resistance to chemical and environmental degradation, resistance to tearing, embossability, resiliency, conformability, moisture and vapor transmission, and abrasion resistance, among others.
Saturated papers typically have been used as label print stock, base substrates for abrasive papers, and similar applications where strength is an essential requirement. They have, however, found limited applicability in the preparation of clothing labels. This limited applicability stems from the aesthetics of the paper. For example, the surface of the paper looks like paper instead of the desired substrate that the clothing manufacturers are replacing (e.g., the paper is too thin/thick, a uniform color, and/or the surface is flat). To improve the aesthetics of the paper-based labels, attempts have been made to thicken the saturated paper and/or combine multiple papers together to form a laminate. However, these attempts have failed to produce a saturated paper having sufficient strength to withstand the normal wear and tear of the clothing. In particular, these attempts have failed to produce a saturated paper that can survive multiple wash cycles without delaminating or otherwise damaging the saturated paper. Additionally, the color of the sheet can be changed, but the sheet still is a uniform color that does not have the color variations expected in nature (i.e., in leather labels).
A need remains in the art, therefore, for a saturated paper that can have variable thickness, isn't a uniform color, and/or has a texturized surface to be useful as a clothing tag that can survive multiple washings without significantly affecting its appearance or function.